


The Distances Between Us

by whatiwriteinshadows



Category: The Social Network (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, Confrontations, Drama, Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 13:04:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5376218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatiwriteinshadows/pseuds/whatiwriteinshadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Part: 3 of Whatever This is :) </p><p>Mark calls Eduardo back...</p><p>Please do check out the previous parts...</p><p>Part 1: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/4527498"> Raindrops On A Windowpane</a><br/>Part 2: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/5060347">Do You Notice When I'm Not Around?</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Distances Between Us

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously this is a total non-profit fanwork written for fun these characters are not mine they are based on the fictional individuals as depicted in the movie _The Social Network_. 
> 
> All other hideousness not associated with the awesomeness of the aforementioned movie is my fault and for that I can only apologise :)

_Continued..._

 

As soon as he saw Mark's name in the caller I.D Eduardo felt his chest tighten and the bile in his empty stomach started to burn its way up his throat. If he just waited long enough it would stop ringing on its own right? The phone would stop ringing. Mark would stop ringing - _and the two of them may never speak to each other ever again._

This whole thing could be over if Eduardo wanted it to be, whatever happened next was Eduardo's choice. 

He let it ring another time before he managed to answer and as soon as he did it he second guessed himself. _This had to be a mistake._

Honestly, he would have put the phone down right there and then but what he heard over the line stopped him in his tracks. No words had been spoken but in the quietness of expectation Eduardo could make out the sound of Mark breathing. It was a little hurried and uneven but Eduardo still recognized it, he would have recognized it anywhere and maybe it was the surprise of that realization which stopped him from just hanging up. 

The last time he heard that sound, the last time Eduardo was close enough to Mark to hear him breathing, his head was laid against Eduardo's chest and the gentle press of his cheek and lips was close and warm against Eduardo's skin. _It had been years._

The sudden sound of Mark clearing his throat jolted Eduardo's attention back to the present moment and he tensed up once again.

“W... Wardo?” Mark's voice sounded odd, nervousness didn't suit him well, “Are you there?”

This was Eduardo's last chance to get out, he could still hang up now and leave with the knowledge that Mark still said his name the way he remembered, the way he would have loved _if he'd ever allowed himself to_. If he decided to reply instead, this was going to be a conversation and there was no going back. Anything could happen. 

“I'm here.” Eduardo answered, before he let fear cloud his judgement any further.

Mark let out a sigh, probably relieved that this wasn't some kind of prank call.

“I didn't pick up your call” Mark said, one 'I'm sorry' short of an apology, “I get reduced rates internationally.”

“If I couldn't afford an international call Mark, I wouldn't have made one.” Eduardo's reply came out a little more forcefully than intended and he stopped himself. This wasn't about call rates.

“I know you can afford it” Mark said “Unless your phone company decided to start charging you 600 million dollars a minute .” Mark's attempt at humour was risky to say the least, if he and Eduardo weren't properly past the business side of there relationship he might have been about to find himself in very dangerous territory. 

Eduardo unwittingly allayed his fears with a small but unmistakable chuckle, whatever this was between them wasn't about business. 

“How have you been?” Mark asked, still sounding uneasy but genuinely interested.

“Good, I'm fine” Eduardo said, “Singapore is a beautiful country”. It was half true, Singapore _is_ a beautiful country. “And you?”

“Distracted”, Mark replied honestly, he never had been one for frivolous pleasantries, “The shareholders meeting is next week.”

Eduardo wanted to be supportive but was unsure what to say so he settled on something innocuous, “Yeah, dealing with a board full of shareholders must be stressful, you must have a lot of work to do”. 

“I can handle the work, I've done it before.” Mark said matter-of-factly, “Its not the shareholders I'm bothered about Wardo” he clarified “well, not all the shareholders” _... just one._

“Mark,” Eduardo chided, not entirely sure why. 

“I would have called you Wardo, I wanted to.”

“Then why didn't you?” There was a sharpness to Eduardo's tone he couldn't shake. He wanted answers

“I thought you hated me Eduardo! You said you never wanted to see me again after the depositions, you said you wished we'd never even met.” Mark sounded wounded, “And then you moved half way across the world.”

“I was upset Mark, you hurt me.” Eduardo was wounded too.

“I know.” Mark said, he paused, “I never meant to.”

“If I hated you so much, why would I have come to the shareholders meetings? Do you think I couldn't manage things from here if I wanted to?”

Eduardo couldn't see it happening but Mark began to shuffle around awkwardly, “I don't know Wardo, I thought it was just a principle thing, I thought it was what you wanted. You always had so many rules about how people should behave I just knew that you never spoke to me.”

“I showed up Mark! what stopped _you_ from talking to _me_?”

“I didn't know how!”

“How about a 'hello' Mark? How about words? Its not as if I wasn't right there in front of you.” Eduardo's annoyance was clear now, but so was Mark's.

“You were on the other side of the room! I couldn't...”

“You couldn't what Mark? Walk?” Eduardo's voice was raised and Mark clenched his free hand and forced it down into his hoodie pocket. 

“Lose you!” Mark exclaimed and his voice cracked “I couldn't lose you Wardo ... not again”.  
The conversation fell abruptly silent, Mark's sudden outburst had surprised them both. He didn't regret it though it was all true. The risk would have been too great, only seeing Eduardo a couple times a year was already making Mark crazy, not seeing Eduardo at all would kill him. _Mark was sure of that._

The silence between them continued, both parties thoroughly considering their responses. Eduardo's next words were said carefully, every one having been thought for an age but never once uttered.

“I miss you too you know Mark.” Eduardo took a deep breath “Every fucking day.” he said, finally admitting it to himself. 

“Me too.” Mark replied, succinct but desperately true.

Another silence passed but this time is was different, they both needed a minute to process.

“Let me come see you Wardo. Let me come see you when you're in town next week.” Mark said, it wasn't a question exactly but Eduardo knew he was asking in his own way. 

“Who says I'm coming to the meeting?” Eduardo teased, trying to ease the tension but he was also having second thoughts about going, things would be different now.

“Fine then, I'll come to you.” Mark was deadly serious.

“Mark,” Eduardo said, unsure whether to trust himself “Maybe we shouldn't...” 

“Please, Eduardo I want... I need to see you.” Mark pleaded. 

They both heard it, they both felt the echo of Mark's words and for a second they were almost back in California, back in that hallway... Almost. 

They were different people, the moody genius and the naïve weather geek he was madly in love with weren't there anymore. Mark was CEO of one of the most important websites on the planet and Eduardo was quickly becoming one of the most successful investment consultants in the industry. 

_They couldn't be both could they? They had to choose... they had already chosen._

There was a lot of water under the bridge, things could never be like they were Eduardo thought to himself as Mark waited nervously for his response. Maybe they didn't need to be the same. Maybe they didn't want to be. They were older now, they were stronger... braver.

 

“Ok.” Eduardo agreed, “We can talk after the meeting.” Then he smiled or rather he felt himself smile, a big huge stupid looking grin that he couldn't seem to control. 

“Dinner?” Mark asked, he was certain he was pushing his luck but he had come too far to turn back now. “I'll ask my assistant for a recommendation.” he added, second guessing Eduardo's reservations.

“That sounds nice.” Eduardo said, feeling properly happy for the first time in months.

Mark was unabashedly pleased, “Great!” he said, in a rare burst of verbalized excitement, “I look forward to it.” and for a little while they both basked in the promise of something better than either would have ever dared hope for.

“You should get some sleep Mark, you sound tired.” Eduardo said, having suddenly realized what time it must be over there.

“I don't care.” Mark replied.

“Its late.” Eduardo admonished, firmly, but entirely without heat.

“I don't care.” Mark repeated.

“Well I _do_ care Mark, so I'm telling you to get some sleep” Eduardo chided, he hadn't even thought about what he was saying until he was faced with Mark's unexpected silence on the other end of the line. Eduardo Saverin had just admitted that he still _cared_ about Mark Zuckerberg. 

“Goodnight Mark.” Eduardo said, with unmistakable affection.

“Night Wardo.” Mark replied with equal warmth.

Eduardo relaxed back into the sofa almost ready to put down the phone.

“Hey Wardo?” Mark's voice was much quieter now.

“Yeah?” Eduardo replied, glad he hadn't already taken the phone from his ear.

“I'm glad you called.” Mark said.

“I'm glad you called back.” Eduardo replied sincerely.

“Night Wardo”, Mark said again, but this time it sounded final, peaceful.

“Goodnight Mark.” Eduardo said and the line clicked dead. 

 

It was 7:30 pm in Singapore, Eduardo Saverin was about to make himself some dinner and get an early night, he had a big week ahead of him before his flight to California. 

It was 4:30 am in San Francisco, Mark Zuckerberg was crashed out asleep on the sofa in his office. In four hours people would start arriving for work. It didn't seem like very long but four hours was more uninterrupted sleep than he had been able to get in months and in the morning he would wake up more hopeful and productive than he had been able to be in years.

**Author's Note:**

> Onward to the Shareholders meeting anyone? Or Is this the end of our tale?  
> \- Who knows?  
> Does this seem like a good place to leave it?  
> \- I don't know?  
> What do you guys think? Or have I completely turned the whole story to sh**t?
> 
> This part was difficult to write (at least for an idiot like me) so I would really be interested to know what anyone thinks.
> 
> NOTE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE READ ANYTHING I HAVE WRITTEN: Whoever you lovely people are who take the time to read my stuff - YOU ARE THE GREATEST and you inspire me to write. :) Thank you!
> 
> Please Check out the entire work if you feel like it and ANY feedback, constructive criticism etc. is most welcome because that is the only way I improve.  
> Part 1: [ Raindrops On A Windowpane](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4527498)  
> Part 2: [Do You Notice When I'm Not Around?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5060347)


End file.
